Laboratory Safety

The Laboratory Safety program includes policies, procedures, training and other information to ensure compliance in the research and teaching laboratories at Stony Brook University. There are many regulatory requirements that laboratories must be in compliance with when working with biological, chemical and radiological materials. Laboratory staff can protect themselves from the hazards associated with these materials by implementing various control measures, from using a fume hood or biosafety cabinet to wearing the correct personal protective equipment.

The Laboratory Safety Policy establishes the minimum requirements to protect laboratory workers from potential exposures to hazardous materials and processes found in all laboratories at Stony Brook University. All laboratory work must be performed according to established safe work practices. The procedures listed in this policy are the minimum work practices that apply to all laboratory work at SBU. The Biosafety Manual, Chemical Hygiene Plan and Radiation Safety Manual provide additional information and requirements for working with hazardous materials.

All laboratories must be registered with EH&S in the Lab Registration database. This information is used for emergency planning and other regulatory compliance. Principal Investigators can register, review and update their registration annually at the Lab Registration web page.

The EH&S Laboratory Safety Specialists provide much of this information during training sessions and laboratory inspections. They will visit the lab at your request to discuss safety issues.

Building a Safety Culture

To learn more about the hazards and controls found in laboratories, click on the following links:

Lab Safety "Dance" Video

Produced by the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MatSE) at The Pennsylvania State University, the MatSE Safety Dance Video was created to promote laboratory safety in an educational and memorable manner.